


Home on the Lockscreen

by gaypasta



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), Fluff, M/M, Stan has a great smile and it's only for BILL, i guess??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-21 08:36:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20690606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaypasta/pseuds/gaypasta
Summary: A smile pried at the corner of Stan’s mouth, “Am I your homescreen?”Bill considered lying for a minute before deflating and nodding, a little embarrassed, “You weren’t supposed to see that,” He flushed red when Stan started to bite back laughter. Stan’s laughter is rarer than diamonds and of course, it comes out at Stan laughing at Bill, “I muh-missed you, don’t luh-laugh,” Stan only continued to giggle as he reached into his dressing gown pocket. Bill continued to run his mouth in explanations only for Stan to hold his own phone's lockscreen at Bill’s face. A screenshot of Bill holding his acceptance letter with a face-splitting grin.They not only had each other as their lockscreens - but from the same fucking FaceTime.





	Home on the Lockscreen

**SEPTEMBER 2011, the CAFETERIA of DERRY PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL.**

Stan wasn’t an unhappy child. Stan was perfectly ordinary. He played on the playground, he stayed up past his bedtime with a flashlight warming underneath his covers, he liked his friends, he liked cartoons and games and he especially liked his best friend; Bill Denbrough. Bill liked all of those things too. The difference was this; Bill laughed as he kicked his legs to propel himself into the air on the swing set - Stan’s brow furrowed in concentration. Bill smiled and laughed with his friends and tugged on their sleeves and pat their back and did all sorts of those things - Stan listened and let the feelings of joy glow inside of him rather than let them out. 

Stan didn’t do this on purpose. He didn’t  _ mean _ to look stoic. He never realised he didn’t smile much until one of Bill’s new friends - Richie Tozier - had brought it up at their lunch table. Stan was eating a fruit salad - apple slices first, then grape, then pineapple, then the watermelon. Bill was eating the same - only he gave his grapes to Stan because Bill didn’t like them. (He did - but grapes were Stan’s favourite). 

“And then I said to him;  _ but I didn’t even finish my bathroom break, sir!” _ Richie finished off his anecdote with a wild gesture from his fork - he was eating mac and cheese, there was a stain of it on Richie’s top - and Bill laughed. Bill’s laugh hadn’t changed since Stan had known him in Kindergarten. Light and airy and more of a giggle than much else. It was soft and Stan usually had to strain his ears to appreciate it to its extent. 

“That was a funny story - did you really say that to him?” Stan asked, turning back to Richie. 

“Hell yeah, I did!” Richie said, puffing his chest out a little. He went back to eating his mac and cheese but as his fork was mid-way to his mouth he seemed to change his mind, “Say, Stanley. How come you always do that?”

“Do what?” Stan didn’t look up from his apple slices.

“You never really laugh at anything. You just kinda,” Richie’s face went poker straight, “that’s really funny.” Richie flattened his voice. It sounded robotic and odd. Stan doesn’t sound like that.

“I don't sound like that.” Silence. “I don’t sound like that, right?” Bill looked at him for a moment, looking deep in thought. He popped a piece of watermelon in his mouth and thought some more. 

“I cuh-can always tell when you’re luh-luh-laughing,” Bill started, “Your muh-mouth twitches a bit and you shoot buh-buh-buh-breath out of your nose and you do thu-this thing with your eyes… like you’re ruh-rolling them but you’re not. Luh-like you half-roll them.” 

“But that’s not laughing, is it? I’ve known you two months, Stanley and I’ve not seen you laugh - in fact - I’ve barely ever seen you crack a smile.” 

Stan opened his mouth to reply, but he had none. Surely he smiled. Everyone smiles. Stan is happy with his friends and happy people smile, right? As he was mulling it over with his fork and his fruit, Bill put his hand on his forearm (only Bill is allowed to do that) and gave a gentle squeeze and spoke to Richie, “Stan’s always smuh-muh-smiling - you just guh-gotta look for it.” Bill smiled at him, soft and reassuring. Stan eased with it and happily went back to eating his food, listening to another one of Richie’s stories. 

**AUGUST 2013, URIS HOUSEHOLD, shortly after STAN’S BAR MITZVAH**

The dining room table of the Uris household was flooded with gifts. Gifts from extended relatives Stan had to ask his mother to remind him of their relation to him, gifts from members of the Synagogue that Stan had done little more than greet in the mornings of temple, gifts from his friends - wrapped in plain brown paper because they weren’t quite sure whether or not it was appropriate to wrap them in birthday paper. 

Stan was wearing his suit. It was itchy and the tie dug uncomfortably into his neck. He wished nothing more than to go upstairs, take a shower, wash his hair and slip into his normal clothes, soft and worn in. Stan fiddled with the hem of his blazer as his long-distance aunt went on and on and on  _ and on _ about how  _ big _ he’d gotten, how  _ grown up _ he is now - a  _ real man _ . Of course he’s gotten big. The last time she had seen him he had been in diapers, apparently. 

She pressed a palm-sized box into his hands and insisted that he opened it. It was rude to open gifts in front of people so he tried to decline. Open it. Go on, open it. Open it - I want to see your reaction. Stan looked around, as if his parents would suddenly appear behind him when he lifted the lid of the little black box, the big blue bow at the front of it crinkled under his hand. He lifted the lid and inside the box, perfectly packed and gleaming with its newness was a silver watch. A simple band, not overly thick or distracting with a minimalistic and simple face. Black engraved numbers with simple sharp black hands. 

  
It was perfect. It was more adult-looking than the one he had now with its rubber band and its plastic face and its fake, tin-sounding ticks. Stan stared into it - if he wasn’t so worried about getting fingerprints over it, he would have traced his fingers over it in awe. It was more than Stan would have expected from this Aunt who hasn’t been up to Maine since she had moved across the country almost twelve years ago. 

“Thank you, Aunt Lorraine - it’s amazing. I love it,” Stan closed the lid - to prevent it getting covered in dust, to his confusion, his aunt crossed her arms and huffed heavily at him. Her sharp eyebrows twisted downwards and her lips - painted an offensively bright shade of pink - twisted into a frown.    
  
“Didn’t my sister teach you any manners?”Stan, in shock, could only mutter out a confused ‘ _ what’ _ in response, “That was expensive, you know. Custom made. It has your name engraved on the back of it - and yet you look at it like I just wrapped a dead dove in a box.” 

“I - I said thank-you!” 

  
“Well you sure don’t look it,” She said, and like that she picked up her coat from over the back of one of the dining room chairs and walked past Stan, who was stood nothing short of bewildered, “Happy birthday, Stanley,” and with that, she left and Stan was stood more confused than he had been in a long time. 

The next day, after a presumably strongly-worded email, or perhaps a letter, Aunt Lorraine always sent postcards from all sorts of foreign destinations -  _ She does it on purpose _ his Mother would say as she rolled her eyes at the postcard with bright red  _ Wish You Were Here!  _ Lettering atop a Hawiann beach, Stan’s mother knocked on his bedroom door and poked her head into Stan, who was sitting criss-cross applesauce on the floor with Bill, doing some project for school.   
  
“Sweetie, your Auntie Lorraine is just after telling me what happened after the Bar Mitzvah,” She started, looking tired, “I know you can’t help it, but can you try to smile a little or look surprised when you open gifts from people? I understand that you’re grateful nonetheless, but not everyone knows you as well as me and your Father and it will save you a lot of headaches when you get older,” Stan nodded dumbly and that seemed answer enough and his Mother left his bedroom and closed the door behind her. 

Stan filled Bill in on the event and Bill bit his lip to stop himself interrupting Stan. When Stan finished the story with a shrug - trying to appear nonchalant about the entire thing, Bill exploded in a flurry of words, “That’s suh-so messed up, Stan. I duh-duh-don’t know why she would say that suh-stuff. You duh-do smile! You suh-smile everyday - I suh-see it. Just buh-buh-because you don’t buh-beam like you’re in a fucking toothpaste cuh-commercial doesn’t mean it’s nuh-not there!” 

Stanley couldn’t do much but nod as Bill continued. The corners of his mouth twitched when Bill’s throat turned over and over on a word as he continued his rant and he actually  _ growled  _ in frustration like some sort of rabid animal. Bill took one look at Stan’s face and dissolved into giggles, “Duh-don’t look at muh-me like that - you know it muh-makes me luh-laugh,” Bill was all but collapsed against him and Stan shrugged him up.

“We have a project to do, stop laughing,” Bill righted himself and stopped laughing but Stan could feel his shoulders shaking beside him and Stan sighed fondly, “Bill.” And like that, Bill was off again. It took Bill almost five minutes to calm down and Stan could feel the small, barely-there upturn of his lips, which only made Bill laugh harder because that was Stan’s way of laughing right back.

**JULY 2016. 11PM. THE QUARRY. THEY ARE CELEBRATING BEVERLY MOVING BACK FROM PORTLAND. THEY ARE ALL A LITTLE DRUNK OFF CHEAP BEER.**

Bill and Stan. Stan and Bill. William and Stanley. Big Bill and Stan the Man. 

Bill was muttering this as he teetered against Stan, swaying and kicking his feet. They were both sitting on a large rock, watching the rest of their friends - who had collectively decided to go swimming. Stan and Bill were both lightweights and were too far gone to swim and Eddie (the only one with their licence) had threatened to leave them without a ride if they even  _ thought  _ about it. 

Stan nodded at Bill’s mutterings like he was teaching him some very complex algorithms and Stan was just beginning to understand it. Bill giggled from beside him and fell into him. Stan’s stomach exploded into butterflies as Bill nuzzled his head into Stan’s shoulder, “Stan the Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan,” He said, breaking down in giggles again.

“Yes, Bill?” 

“You’re duh-drunk.” 

“You’re drunker than I am,” Bill looked offended.

“Nuh-uh… look -” Bill pushed a finger into the side of Stan’s cheek, “You’re smiling.” 

“I’m always smiling,” Stan slapped Bill’s finger away - especially because Bill had stumbled and near poked his eye out.

“Yeah…” Bill sighed, looking far away with a happy look on his face, “buh-but I mean properly! You’re guh-grinning, Stan!” 

  
“No, I’m not. You’re just wasted.” 

Bill groaned and lightly punched Stan in the arm, “Nnnoh I’m nert.” 

“Okay, sure,” Stan’s voice sounded different. Like it was pulling up at the edges. Bill noticed this too and his head shot up. He stared at Stan in shock for a moment before letting out a loud shout of victory, he frantically stumbled on the rock in his desperation to fish his phone from his back pocket and in his flustered grappling, Bill fell backwards off of the rock and landed on his back on the forest floor. 

Stan followed him with his eyes and just as Bill managed to unlock his phone with a winded  _ ‘I got it’ _ , Stan laughed. Stan laughed and laughed at Bill’s flushed face and goofy grin as he picked a leaf off of his face with his left hand and held his phone with his right. 

  
  


**AUGUST 2016. BILL DENBROUGH’S BEDROOM. **

Something shifted after the night in the Quarry. Something had changed between him and Bill. Nothing bad, nothing overwhelmingly good, either. Stan just felt a different type of comfort now as he listened to Bill ramble on about some new horror movie he’s interested in as Stan sat cross-legged on Bill’s bed, going through his social media notifications. 

  
“I think Beverly went and saw that movie with Ben last night, she sent me a video of her jumping out at Ben when they got back to his,” He liked a picture of Eddie uploaded of Mike’s dog and left a comment, “I think he’s gonna have nightmares.”

Bill thumped his head against the desk, “I wanted to see it with Beverly,” he pouted, “She’s the only one who doesn’t get scared.” 

Stan rolled his eyes, “Ask her - she might see it again if you want to go.” 

“It’s not the same, Stan,” Bill said, being overdramatic about the entire thing as he stared up at one of his movie posters tacked to the wall. Stan just hummed in response, scrolling through Instagram. Eddie uploaded seven photos of Mister Chip and on the sixth one Mike had commented  _ ‘I’m going to start charging you for exploiting Mr. Chip for likes’ _ . Stan snorted and continues scrolling. What he had missed, while being stuck on his phone, was that Bill had taken his own phone to snap a picture of Stan ignoring him to put him on blast in the group chat, loving named  _ Losers. _ He didn’t capture Stan ignoring him, what he  _ did _ capture - was the briefest and luckiest shot of his lifetime. A quick turn of the lips as Stan found Mike’s comment amusing. 

Bill saved the picture and didn’t send it to the  _ Losers _ chat. 

**JANUARY 2017. AFTER SCHOOL IN THE DRAMA CLASSROOM. BILL, BEVERLY AND STAN HELPING RICHIE WITH HIS BIT FOR CLASS.**

“Bill! Pornhub can wait - put down your phone and  _ help me. _ I’m gonna fail the class if I don’t get an A in this bit then I’m gonna fail the class,” Richie said pulling a knotted blonde wig out of the prop chest and plopping it unceremoniously on his head.

“I’m nuh-nuh-not watching Porn. I’m tuh-texting my Mom and tuh-telling her I’ll buh-be home late because Richie fuh-failed his other duh-drama bit and is muh-muh-making me spuh-spend my Monday evening wuh-watching another tuh-trainwreck,” Bill said, locking his phone but keeping it in his hand.

“Hey! How was I supposed to know they’d fail me for a little tiny swear?!” Richie said, handing Beverly a tie which looked like it had been donated by a teacher back in the nineties. Beverly tied it and looked down at herself. She was meant to be wearing a suit but all they could gather from the prop closet was a 3XL brown blazer jacket and a blue and pink paisley print tie. Beverly pushed the sleeves up over her hand.

“You said _fuck_ _ _ three separate times in the space of four minutes,” Beverly said. 

“Exactly! No way I should have failed. Tarantino didn’t fail drama school for a little profanity, did he?” Richie shut the prop chest and shuffled his way over to Beverly in ‘centre stage’ (the front of the classroom). He was wearing a pair of heels which Bill had snorted at and snuck a picture of. 

“I doubt Tarantino wore heels,” Beverly said, laughing behind her hand.

“Hey - fuck you. You’re the one who wanted to be the guy in this part - this is all on you,” Richie said, swearing as he almost went over his ankle and straightened himself on Beverly. The two bickered back and forth for a bit and Stan, who was sitting at the teacher’s desk, locked eyes with Bill - who was sitting on one of the chairs at the front of the class, and shook his head.

“Do I really have to be here? I have a lot of work to do,” Stan asked, interrupting Beverly and Richie. Richie shuffled over and tapped the sheet of paper Stan was holding on his lap - sorry, the  _ script. _

_ “ _ We need you to channel your inner DiCaprio, Stan.”   
  
“I have two lines.”   
  
“I know, try not to get overwhelmed, buddy.” 

Stan just sat back and listened absentmindedly as the began their scene. Beverly was playing a famous actor and Richie was playing his female co-star, who had a massive crush on him and the entire skit is Richie trying to get Beverly’s attention. Richie asked Beverly for a cigarette, then  _ ‘accidentally’  _ dropped a pen and bent over seductively to catch the attention of a wandering eye. Stan caught Bill recording the entire trainwreck - it was terrible. Not just drama-kids terrible, but mind-numbingly terrible. Stan could feel himself losing IQ points, which may be why, with no discernible reason, when Richie said his line to try and catch Beverly’s attention -  _ Kookie, Kookie…. Lend me your comb -  _ Stan said, “Kookie...Kookie… lend me your bones,” and promptly fell into fits of laughter. 

Beverly and Richie shared a look as if they were witnessing the forecast of the end of the world and Bill smiled behind his hand as he zoomed in on his camera on Stan clutching at his sides and laughing quietly into himself.

  
  


**AUGUST 2018, DENBROUGH RESIDENCE, AFTER RECEIVING HIS COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE LETTER.**

Bill was over the moon. New York University. NYU. 

Bill was going to New York. 

  
He could hardly believe it. All those sleepless nights writing, all those frustrations and tears over essay after essay and creative piece after creative piece had bled him dry. All those late night Facetime calls with his friends - with  _ Stan _ to try and unravel the contents of his brain so he could relax enough to fall asleep. It had all been worth it. They hardly seemed like memories at all now - they were long pushed out of his mind. The letter lay on his desk, and every time he looked at it he felt the need to kick his legs and cry out in laughter. 

It was due a week ago. Bill - apparently being cursed with bad luck - had his letter lost in the mail. He had gotten letters from his second and third choice, The University of Maine and the University of New England. They sat, unopened, in his desk drawer. He was waiting for NYU. He waited and watched as Beverly got into Fashion in California, as Eddie picked out his College major - mechanics with a minor in business, when Richie took a video of himself opening his acceptance letter for Chicago, when Ben sent a photo of his own NYU Acceptance letter for Architecture and when Mike announced he was going to College with Eddie to study History with a minor in Anthology. He wasn’t jealous when Stan got accepted into Georgia State University to study Accountancy - he couldn’t bring himself to be jealous when Stan sent him a Snapchat selfie of him holding the letter up to his face. One of Stan’s not-quite-smiles on his face. 

_ STAN. _

He had to call Stan. 

_ Sent 13:02 _

__ Big Bill: Stan  
_ Big Bill: Stan _ __   
__ Big Bill: Stan  
_ Big Bill: Stan _ __   
__ Big Bill: Stan  
_ Big Bill: Stan _ __   
__ Big Bill: Stan  
_ Big Bill: Stan _ __   
  


_ Sent 13:01 _

_ Stan the Man: What?   
_ _ Stan the Man: Youre texting like Richie I dont like it _

__   
_ Sent 13:02 _ _   
_ __ Big Bill: Facetime now

_ Sent 13:03 _ _   
_ _ Stan the Man: Can it wait 10 minutes im just out of the shower _

__   
__   
_ Sent 13:03 _ _   
_ __ Big Bill: no. code red

_ 13:03 _ __   
_ INCOMING CALL  
_ __ STAN THE MAN WOULD LIKE TO FACETIME

Bill could hardly accept the call fast enough. Stan hard starting asking him what he needed but Bill broke his sentence off, “It cuh-came.” 

Stan’s line dropped silent for a moment, “As in…” Bill requested video call and Stan accepted it. Bill stopped for a minute when Stan’s face took over his screen. His hair was wet and stuck to his face and Bill could even still see some droplets of water catching on the tip of his nose.

  
“You ruh-really are juh-just out of the shower,” Stan sent him a flat look and Bill ignored it as he brought the letter up to the camera, “Only a wuh-week late!” 

“I’m not an expert - but I’m reading the atmosphere, you got in, right?” Stan looked apprehensive as he said it but when Bill nodded and a smile broke out thick on his face, Stan mirrored it. Bill grappled as the letter fell out of his hand when Stan smaled. So softy and so genuine. It only lasted a moment but Bill was quick to take a screenshot and Stan fell back to a small little content  _ ‘Stan-smile’ _ , “Pity. Was kind of hoping you wouldn’t get accepted into any and then you’d have to be miserable here while I go down to Georgia.” 

Bill shook his head, “Suh-sorry to let you duh-down.” The line fell silent a little and Bill swallowed as the reality of the situation hit him, “Georgia is puh-pretty far."

Stan nodded, a sad smile at the corner of his mouth,“I know.” 

“We’ll be fuh-fuh-fine, though… right?” Bill said. He was acting like they were  _ dating _ or something. Which they weren’t. Not at all. But Bill doesn’t think he’d mind much if they were. Stan stilled for a moment, running words over in his head.

“Remember when Richie went to that music camp all over summer last year?”

“That wuh-was only two muh-months-”

“Or when Eddie goes up to his family in Montana every Christmas?” 

“But that only fuh-for-” 

“What about when Beverly moved to Portland, then. Two years she was gone.”

“Thats duh-different.” Bill said, unconvincingly.

“Yeah, it was. We only knew her for a summer, Bill. Two weeks we were friends with Beverly before she moved away and we messaged her every day. I called her every Sunday, you sent her letters and books you thought she’d like and she’d send us back postcards and gifts on our birthdays and when she came back it was like nothing had changed,” Bill nodded. Stan was right. Bill told him that and Stan smiled, “Yeah, I know.” 

**MARCH 2019. 153 DAYS SINCE LEAVING FOR COLLEGE. THE URIS HOUSEHOLD.**

_ Sent 22:12 _ __   
__ Stan the Man: How close are you  
__   
__   
_ Sent 22:14 _ __   
__ Big Bill: I’m on the bus now, ill be abt an hour ig  
  


_ Sent 22:14 _ __ Stan the Man: Why didnt you get an earlier bus from NY again?   
  


_ Sent: 22:20  
_ _ Big Bill: They were like double the price on peak _

__   
Sent 22:20  
__ Stan the Man: Small price to pay considering I’ve been here since noon

__   
Sent 22:41  
_ Big Bill: sorry I keep fallin asleep _ __   
_ Big Bill: havent you seen any of the other losers?? Eds and Mikey drove down couple days ago remember. and i think rich flew home yestrday _ _   
_ __ Big Bill: HAHAHAHA did you see the video Mike sent of Eddie getting road roach driving home? Im suprised mike didnt open the door and roll out of there

_ Sent 22:45 _ __   
_ Stan the Man: It’s fine it’s not like i’ve been waiting all day for you to come home _ _   
_ __ Stan the Man: “”road roach”” 

_ Sent 22:45 _ _   
_ _ Big Bill: Hey i’ve been up since 7am  _

_ Sent 22:46 _ _   
_ _ Stan the Man: my flight was at 7am. _

_ Sent 22:46 _ _   
_ _ Big Bill: im a night owl stanley _

_ Sent 22:46 _ _   
_ _ Stan the Man: staying up until 3am because you’re playing fortnight doesn’t make you a night owl it just makes you a dumbass _

_ Sent 23:04 _ __   
_ Big Bill: HEY _ _   
_ __ Big Bill: it’s FortNITE 

__   
_ Sent 23:23 _ __   
_ Big Bill: I’m coming into Derry now _ __   
__   
_ Sent 23:27 _ _   
_ __ Big Bill: stan? 

__   
_ Sent 23:31 _ _   
_ __ Big Bill: i know you hate being woken up but im gonna ignore that and break into your house

Almost midnight and there Bill was, with a suitcase in tow and in a pair of sweats and a faded t-shirt that he has had since he was about fifteen, on the Uris front porch. It’s been so long since he was back in Derry. He couldn’t go back over Christmas because he was bogged down with work and he knew if he was home with Stan and the others he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from procrastinating on it. So now he was a little out of sorts. Does he ring the doorbell? But what if Stan’s parents are asleep and he wakes them. Does he walk in unannounced? Just as he was about to open the door, his phone started ringing.

_ INCOMING CALL  
_ _ TRASHMOUTH _

Frow burrowed, he accepted the call. Richie never really rings anyone - he’s more of a texter.

“Ruh-Rich?”

_   
“Hey, Bill!” _

  
“Are you oh-okay?”  
  


_ “Yeah - what, I can’t call you and catch up about your day?” _

“It’s muh-midnight.” 

_ “Your evening?” _

“What duh-duh-do you want, Ruh-Richie?” 

_ “Okay - geez, you’ve twisted my arm. I borrowed your car.” _

Bill blinks dumbly, “You wuh-wuh-wanna borrow my cuh-car? I haven’t had huh-her service since I luh-left it here when I luh-left for cuh-college, I don’t know how wuh-well she’d ruh-run.”

_ “Oh, don’t worry Eddie is fixin’ her up right now.” _

“You - you stole my cuh-car?!”

_ “Borrowed. C’mon Bill, keep up.”  _

A light flicked on in the hallway, the glass Bill was facing in the door suddenly glowing a warm yellow, “I duh-didn’t agree to that…” Bill trailed off as a familiar silhouette shadowed in the light. The door opened and Bill all but dropped his phone.    
  
Stan. 

It was Stan.

Bleary-eyed and squinting. Clearly just awake and not overly aware of his surroundings, “Bill?” 

“Yuh-yeah. It’s muh-me.” 

“I fell asleep.” 

“You duh-did.” 

“Coffee?” 

“Shuh-sure.” 

Stan turned around and went back into the house, leaving Bill on the porch, who just became aware of the echoing of Riche’s voice in his phone, “Uh, yeah. Cuh-car. Take it. Guh-gotta go.” 

_ “Hey - Bill, what-”  _

_ CALL ENDED WITH _ _   
_ _ TRASHMOUTH _

Bill pocketed his phone and followed Stan into the home, closing the door behind him. He walked a little uncomfortably through the dark hallway. It had been so long since he’d been here and now here he is, walking through the Uris house at midnight in the dark. He rounded the kitchen and the light flooded his vision as he opened the door and stepped inside. The noise of the door clicking close made Stan, who had a mug placed under an expensive-looking coffee machine, pause. 

“Bill?” Bill made a little  _ hmm _ noise and Stan just continued to blink at him, “You’re… you’re home.” 

“Uh, yeah? You luh-let me in, Stan.”

“Yeah. I did. Now you’re here.” 

  
“Yeah….I wuh-wanted to see you buh-before I got home,” Stan just continued to stare at him with a look of extended disbelief, “Your cuh-cuh-coffee is overflowing,” Stan seemed to blink back to life and swore as he turned around and tried to fix the mess he’d made.

Eventually, Stan handed Bill a coffee - with milk and three sugars and they sat down at the kitchen table and caught up after Stan had slowly come back to the land of the living, “Sorry - flying always messes with my head,” Stan had explained and Bill just smiled at him affectionately. They were talking about Stan’s life down in Georgia - things too long to fit into text when Bill’s phone buzzed several times in his pocket over the course of a minute. He checked the notifications.

_ Snapchat from trashmouth_tozier _ __   
_ Snapchat from eddiekaspbrak2000 _ _   
_ __ Snapchat from trashmouth_tozier

Well. That can’t be good. He opened the first one to see a picture his car - a second hand Honda Civic that had seen better days - with the caption  _ Joy-ride time. Thanks Billiam!!  _

Then a selfie of Eddie giving him a thumbs up -  _ I’m a good driver - she’s in safe hands. Thank u Bill _

Then a video - which was loud enough that it caught Stan’s attention and Bill tilted his phone so Stan could see the video of Eddie yelling from the driver’s side, gesturing angrily at the car in front of him.  _ “Did you fucking see that? Are you fucking stupid?? Green only means go if the fucking ROAD is CLEAR. The road was NOT clear and you fuckin’ went anyway and now look - you’ve BLOCKED MY FUCKING LANE. Did you get your license from a fucking CEREAL BOX?! Yeah, you better wave at me apologetically you dumbass, I’m about to crush your fucking Minicooper like a spider under my fucking shoe I swear- STOP FUCKING LAUGHING RICHIE - Are you- are you taking a fucking VIDEO?! Come here - no ! - gimme your fucking phone-”  _

Stan looked up after a moment, “Isn't that your car?”   
  
“Yeah, I thuh-think Richie stole my cuh-car,” Bill closed Snapchat and returned to his homescreen only to try and lock his phone when he remembered what his lockscreen was and who was standing beside him. A picture of Stan, a screenshot from the Facetime call when Bill got into College. 

“What was that?” Stan asked

“Nuh-nothing.” 

A smile pried at the corner of Stan’s mouth, “Am I your homescreen?”

Bill considered lying for a minute before deflating and nodding, a little embarrassed, “You weren’t supposed to see that,” He flushed red when Stan started to bite back laughter. Stan’s laughter is rarer than diamonds and of course it comes out at Stan laughing at Bill, “I muh-missed you, don’t luh-laugh,” Stan only continued to giggle as he reached into his dressing gown pocket. Bill continued to run his mouth in explinations only for Stan to hold his own phone's lockscreen at Bill’s face. A screenshot of Bill holding his acceptance letter with a face-splitting grin. 

They not only had each other as their lockscreens - but from the same fucking FaceTime.

“I missed you too… obviously.” 

Stan dropped his phone beside Bill’s, their faces staring right back at the both of them. When Bill met Stan’s eyes - he was overcome with a type of feeling he knew he could never feel at home, back at the Denbrough household. He was home - he’d come home. And before either had even realised they were leaning in, over the kitchen table, their lips met. Bill could feel a smile blooming on Stan’s face. From where their mouths were connected, to where Bill had cupped Stan’s cheek - it burned into his mouth and swallowed him whole. 

They pulled apart and Stan smiled. A proper, big grin. A smile which Bill had come to realise, was reserved exclusively for him.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr is stanleytoziers


End file.
